126 THE BOOK OF ENSILAGE. 



Another important consideration, impossible to estimate by percentage, 

 is the higher health of animals having rations of green food. 



"The consumption of a large amount of dry corn-fodder, or even 

 enough for daily subsistence, has not proven conducive to health. If 

 we consider economy of food and health of animal solely, the balancing 

 of considerations must largely favor Ensilage." 



Green grass and other forage-crops contain over 80 

 per cent of water ; in the process of curing by drying, 

 about 70 per cent is evaporated. Now, this 70 per cent 

 of water carries with it a large amount of valuable nutri- 

 tion. That which passes off is just what makes the 

 difference between June butter and winter butter. If it 

 does not lose by drying the first time, how does it hap- 

 pen that it loses so much by drying the second time, 

 after being wet ? The wetting does not injure the forage, 

 else cut feed would be injured by being sprinkled, and 

 steaming fodder would be utter ruin. It is the drying, 

 after the wetting, that robs the forage of its value. The 

 water which is dried out of the forage leaves it in 

 the shape of hay-tea, and the first "drawing" is the 

 strongest. 



Do not be alarmed if the cut fodder heats as you are 

 filling the Silo. Mr. Potter allows his Ensilage to " heat" 

 before he attempts to compact it. Sufficient moisture 

 and pressure will stop the fermentation at any time. Do 

 not think it is not preserved, with all its nutritive ele- 

 ments not only unimpaired, but improved, because it 

 does not look as freshly green as when waving in the 

 fields. There are some persons who are so difficult to 

 suit, that they are not satisfied unless they can find under 

 the lid of each can of preserved fruit a button-hole bou- 

 quet of fresh peach and apple blossoms. 



The true test is, will the cattle eat it, and do they 

 thrive upon it ? Mr. Potter's clover Ensilage comes out 



